KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 10 – Sabah lawmakers today spoke up against the government, claiming that the state has yet to benefit from the various development funds promised since last year.

Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh told Parliament that the state continues to be sidelined despite promises made since last year.

“The RM1 billion announced by PM still cannot be seen. We talk about independence and equality with Sabah and Sarawak. Johor has everything. We are embarrassed,” said Abdul Gapur.

“I already know the answers, everything is just lip service,” said Abdul Gapur.

Soon after the general election last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi announced a special allocation of RM1 billion for Sabah and the move was seen as a preemptive measure to prevent Sabah's Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs from defecting to Pakatan Rakyat.

Another Sabah lawmaker, Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin asked SK Devamany, a deputy minister in the prime minister's department, to tell Parliament when basic infrastructure in the state would be completed.

“They have not solved the basic problems, clean water, electricity, when will the EPU (Economic Planning Unit) solve these problems,” said the Kinabatangan MP. [read more]